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Cowell-Purisima Coastal Trail

Twenty five years in the making, Peninsula Open Space Trust and the State Coastal Conservancy opened up a brand new trail along the rugged San Mateo Coastline known as the Cowell-Purisima Trail. The path travels approximately three miles south from Cowell Ranch Beach culminating in a spectacular viewpoint at the southern end from a promontory. The multi-use trail includes a new coat of gravel and three large bridges. It is almost entirely flat except for one section to cross the Purisima Creek drainage. The southern end features a new parking area long Highway 1 and the northern end is the existing Cowell Ranch Beach parking. The bluff trail features spectacular coastline characteristic of the San Mateo Coast, including numerous pristine and inaccessible beaches along the way that make for great photography. The only accessible beach with a staircase is the Cowell Ranch beach at the northern end. The other beaches below the bluff appear to be a precarious scramble through loose dirt and vegetation. I was excited about this new stretch of coastline to explore within 25 minutes of my home. I was not disappointed with the coastal scenery and here are some photos!